I acquired a Kicksled in December 2022.
It then took me an entire year to seriously incorporate this exercise into my regular life. (At that time I was in my early 70s trying to figure out where outdoor exercise fit into my life as I headed into my late 70s and beyond.)
During the summer of 2022 I had begun to do more walking. (We are blessed to live close to 5 km of walking trails.) Unfortunately, by the spring of 2023, my walking habit had become non-existent due to my lack of continuity through the winter.
Now, the kicksled has become the solution to daily, year-around, walking outside.
The kicksled works in almost all winter terrains. The first snow in the fall is no excuse to abandon your daily walk, just dress warmer, add boots and set off with your kicksled. As more snow accumulates, keep tromping the same trails. You may not go as far on fresh, deeper snow, but you get the same exercise!
If you live in snowmobile country, you can perhaps ask a friend to run through your trails. Snowmobile tracks are great kicksled trails.
In my experience the biggest advantage of the kicksled is in dealing with balance issues. It works similar to a “walker” on a hard floor albeit outdoors on an uneven and sometimes slippery surface! And, even though I always use the sled for support, I am amazed how my balance improves the more that I use the sled.
One of the first things that I did when I got the sled was to get down on the ground beside it and use it to assist me back up again. It worked well. I actually have only once had to use this feature in a real situation. That was when I decided to “see what this thing can actually do” — coming down a hill, on a packed trail, riding the rail with one foot and kicking with the other — “look out for that curve … $#@!” The sled was a great help to get me vertical again and I got the reminder to “act my age.”
One bonus is having something to lean on, and rest, every time that I stop. Great way to reduce the risk of overexertion.
Risks
Clearly, there are several issues facing an old guy to walk daily throughout a Manitoba winter: hypothermia; falling on uneven terrain; overexertion.
Yes, you do need to protect against hypothermia. The winter sports industry has a raft of clothing products to help with cold weather outdoors. I just wear the appropriate number of layers of the type of clothing available at a Goodwill Store.
Go back home when your body tells you: “It’s Time To Turn Around!!”
Carry a cellphone so you can call if you need help. Make sure that your phone tracker is enabled on the phone of a trusted person. Make sure that trusted person knows your planned route and ETA.
Act your age!
Ultimately, there is the risk that I will meet my maker all alone, on a trail one half mile from home, on a crackling clear night, with a bright full moon, Orion in the southern sky and coyotes howling in the distance. There is also the risk of dying alone in bed, in an understaffed care home, with an unseen TV in the room, broadcasting a hockey game so I can once again hear the Toronto Maple Leafs … lose …
Kicksledding Styles
Snowwalker
This is how I use the kicksled for my planned three-times-per-day outings. The kicksled constantly helps my balance and it is an excellent leaning post when I need to stop to rest.
Snow Tromping
This is how I create my own trails on terrain that has not yet been packed down. The idea is to tromp a short section and then to lengthen it each time you go out. (GUY THING: Just pretend that you are laying the CPR mainline across western Canada in the 1880’s!)
Classic Kicksledding
This is how you can turn a winter walk into a winter sport. Now you can learn technique, grace and speed — if I was really 20 years younger … I now stick to building capacity as a winter distance walker, as opposed to a winter sprinter.